The Ivory Tomb by Melissa Caruso

Author:Melissa Caruso [CARUSO, MELISSA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2022-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

The avalanche that had collapsed half the fortress and a fair chunk of the hillside had also taken out the top third of the road down from the castle. We had to scramble down a steep slope to rejoin it partway; I was so battered and overwhelmed I kept stumbling. Grief and rage had pounded me flat, and the shock of realizing Laeka and her friends were the Nine Graces had left me dizzy. I could barely put one thought in front of the other, let alone feet.

I kept thinking of things I wished I’d said to Ulsa: I’ll help you get back to your ma. It’s not too late to be a better person. Thank you for being willing to be my friend. And Laeka—half of me hadn’t even known her, but she was stuck in my soul like a shard of glass healed over. There was no time to deal with any of it; I had to push on and keep going.

As we reached the road at last, Severin caught my elbow to keep me from falling.

“I’d ask if you were sure you’re all right,” he murmured, “but it would be a waste of breath because you’d say yes even though it’s obviously not true.”

“None of us are all right,” I said wearily. “You’re not all right, either.”

“I didn’t have half a castle fall on me less than an hour ago. There are degrees to these things, Ryx.”

I managed to haul up one eyebrow. “So you’re conceding the contest?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” The faintest shadow of a smile brushed his lips. “I assure you, I’m holding myself together with glue and spite. If you need to sit down a moment, though, I don’t think anyone will begrudge you that.”

What I needed was to go lie down and stare at the ceiling for a few days, but I didn’t have that luxury.

“I’ll manage,” I said.

Severin sighed as if this were a great personal disappointment. “I know.”

It was easier going on the road, and we had more room to walk together. I took the opportunity to tell Hylah, “I’m sorry you got dragged into all of this.”

“Oh, don’t be!” She gave me a strange sort of smile that I’d almost call shy. “You must understand, I’ve been a shrinekeeper for several years now, a student of theology before that, and a devotee of the Nine Graces for my whole life. And I just saw an actual miracle of the Grace of Luck. I’m awed and grateful to have this opportunity.”

“I wouldn’t say a miracle,” I objected. The idea that Laeka was somehow watching over us was too strange, and somehow even more painful than the thought that she’d died thousands of years ago.

Hylah’s smile didn’t fade. “Call it what you will.”

Ashe lifted a hand and stopped, gone tense and still. The rest of the Rookery froze at once.

“What is it?” Foxglove asked, his voice so low I could barely hear him.

“There’s someone in a blind up the hill.” Ashe stared at the hillside above us.

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